InteGreat! Rocks – Youth Battle of the Bands

Boulder is far from the only county in Colorado that consistently focuses on improving and supporting the local community. West on I-70 as you pass through Vail, Beaver Creek, and beyond, Eagle County consists of a series of quintessential Colorado mountain communities that local non-profit InteGreat! looks to continue bettering through a focus on the area’s underprivileged, including its youth. Next month marks InteGreat!’s first large-scale fundraiser, which invites all of Colorado’s youth to rock out and show off their musical gifts for a great cause. So tune your guitars, warm up those vocal chords, and get ready for InteGreat! Rocks! Youth Battle of the Bands.

InteGreat!, part of the Eagle River Youth Coalition, is a collective of community members and organizations within Eagle County that aim to support both the community as a whole and its citizens in need. There are over 12,000 youth in Eagle County and, with rising housing prices and costs of living, many families struggle to stay above the poverty line. Working to ensure that these youth and families in need are given the necessary support to be successful, InteGreat! focuses on targeted programs and solutions to better the community. Emphasizing the importance of access to healthy food for children and families, InteGreat! hosts popular programs like their summer lunch program, during which anyone under the age of 18 can attend and receive a hot meal at a time of year when reduced cost or free school lunches may not be available. Partnering with additional community organizations such as peer support-focused Neighborhood Navigators, InteGreat! is an important proponent of the Eagle County’s population, community, and children.

The InteGreat! Rocks! Youth Battle of the Bands competition is the organization’s first major fundraiser, aiming to simultaneously get youth involved in the community and provide them with the opportunity to have their music heard by a wider audience.

“Youth Battle of the Bands came about as an out of the box fundraiser, which would help raise money for the organization, but which would also be an evening out for youth and a way for youth talent to get some exposure in the Vail Valley, “ says Christina Anderson, Event Marketing Coordinator with InteGreat!.

Open to all Colorado youth bands, the contest consists of an online original music competition followed by a live music performance and celebration for the top three finalists at Avon’s Nottingham Park pavilion on August 4th.

Band applications for the online competition are due on May 15th. Eligible bands must consist of members between the ages of 13 and 24 (at least one of whom must be enrolled in school) and be based in Colorado. Prizes for top bands are ample, and all donations and funds will go towards InteGreat!’s community works.

If you’re interested in sponsoring this great event, check out the opportunities here. You can also learn more about InteGreat!’s mission and this great youth event on their Facebook page and their website.

About Lisa Van Horne

Lisa Van Horne is a freelance writer and editor. From growing up in Reno to the beaches of San Diego to the subways and train stations of New York City to Boulder's mountainous views, Lisa has been people-watching and scribbling all her life. Having found home in Boulder, Lisa enjoys learning about new people and places, taking on creative challenges, hanging out with her chocolate lab, and exploring all that Colorado offers.